Meet Diane Kremer | Jewelry Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Diane Kremer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Diane, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
I love the quote “You never really fail until you stop trying”. It puts all those little failures in art and business in perspective. We should embrace our failures because they teach us something that cannot be learned any other way. There is no guaranteed playbook for success in art, business or life. Experience is the best teacher and the more you fail, the more you learn. The key is to use those learnings to improve, and never give up trying.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I create jewelry with gemstones, metal and various mixed media, but my primary material is polymer clay. Polymer clay is an artist’s dream. It’s compatible with so many products from across the mixed media spectrum that the sky is the limit, creatively speaking.

Although polymer is gaining wider acceptance as a high-end art material, it is still fairly unknown to the general public, which can be both a pro and a con. Some customers are delighted by my jewelry because it is new, different, and unexpected. Others are uncomfortable with it for the same reason. Although my materials are non-traditional, my designs very wearable and accessible for most women. My business tagline is “Art Jewelry for the Inspired Woman”. Women who have a little bit of a playful or creative spark in their souls usually enjoy my work.

I started my career as a computer engineer and I worked in high-tech for 20 years. I always enjoyed being creative, but did not have a formal arts education. I made jewelry as a hobby and loved learning new techniques. Life took a sharp turn when I was laid off during the great recession.

I spent some years as a stay at home mom, but eventually my daughter went off to college and I had to decide if I wanted to go back to high-tech or try something different. I took a leap and decided to turn my jewelry making hobby into a business.

The biggest hurdle I had to overcome was my own mindset. I didn’t think of myself as a “real” artist because I lacked a formal arts education. I took a lot of classes with renowned artists and that helped, but ultimately to get over this insecurity I just had to “fake it until you make it”. I joined a few local arts organizations and started calling myself an artist, even though I didn’t really believe it. The more I associated with other artists the more I realized that MOST of us have imposter syndrome, and it’s an ongoing battle for many of us. I am definitely not alone in this struggle.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I had some visitors last summer and I took them on a tour of the shops and galleries where my work is featured. There are so many fabulous art galleries in Colorado, big and small, rustic and urban. I LOVE to check them out. And, of course, we spent time in the mountains. We rented an AirBnB in Estes Park right on Fall River. Colorado’s visual splendor provides endless inspiration. I hadn’t counted on the auditory inspiration of the river, however. The babbling sounds soothed my soul and were a real highlight of the trip. I have been thinking more and more about auditory inspiration and how it plays into my work.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I owe so much of my success to my husband, Jim. I worked in high-tech for 20 years and it was difficult to give up the steady paycheck and defined career path. I had a lot of guilt about letting my husband support us while building my business. I felt like I didn’t have a “real” job because I wasn’t making the same kind of money. I had to create a new definition of success based on my own personal journey and goals. Jim gave me the space and freedom to do that in my own way and on my own timetable. He never guilted me about money, on the contrary, he often told me how proud he was of my art and my business.

Website: http://DianeKremerJewelry.com

Instagram: http://instagram.com/DianeKremerJewelry

Facebook: http://facebook.com/DianeKremerJewelry

Youtube: http://youtube.com/@DianeKremerJewelry8378